Day Trips to the Dubai Desert with Dinner and Show

One of the best experiences you can have in Dubai during your trip is to take an excursion to the Dubai desert.

Beyond the modern skyscrapers and shopping malls, just a few miles from the city there is a whole world to discover. Contemplating the immensity and simplicity of the desert is a beautiful contrast to the opulence of Dubai's monuments and mosques that you cannot miss.

This desert adventure usually ends in style with an oriental-style dinner and show in a Bedouin camp in the middle of the dunes. If you like the idea of experiencing a magical night in the Dubai desert, take a look at this post where I tell you all about these dinners and shows worthy of "The Thousand and One Nights."

Dinner and show in the Dubai desert are the culmination of an exciting excursion lasting several hours through the sea of sand surrounding the city.

After experiencing the adrenaline rush of driving a quad bike at full speed, riding in a 4x4 off-road vehicle to glide over the dunes, or sandboarding on the red dunes with a board, it's time to relax and enjoy the authentic Bedouin lifestyle.

After the thrilling activities on the dunes, you will take a pleasant drive to a Bedouin camp in the desert where dinner and a show will take place. On the way, you can watch the beautiful sunset over the sea of sand that is the Dubai Safari Conservation Reserve, where you can take some wonderful souvenir photos.

Once at the camp, you will be greeted with a traditional welcome ceremony where you will enjoy a small snack with Qawha (Arabic coffee), mint tea, typical Arabic sweets, dates, and fruits. At this point, you will have some time to rest and experience the art of living the Arab way.

The grand finale to an intense day full of excitement will be a wonderful Arab-style barbecue buffet dinner while you watch a dance and fire show.

The dinner you will enjoy at the Bedouin camp is an Arabic-style barbecue buffet featuring hummus and khuboos, tabbouleh, and baba ghanoush, among other dishes. In the BBQ section, you will find all kinds of grilled meats.

During dinner, the desserts deserve a special mention. You can enjoy a variety of traditional Arabic sweets accompanied by dates and fruits. Enjoy them with a cup of mint tea or Arabic coffee.

As for drinks, excursions with dinner and a show usually include an open bar with drinks, tea, and coffee. Alcohol is not included, but if you would like a cold beer, you can pay for it separately.

After dinner, you will be offered the chance to smoke shisha (the traditional oriental water pipe), which usually comes in one flavor. If you want to try other flavors, you can also pay for them separately. If, after trying Arabic food, you are left wanting more, I recommend this post on Where to eat in Dubai so you can take note for when you return to the capital.

During dinner in the Dubai desert, you can enjoy a series of live shows and workshops with an oriental theme that will liven up the evening. Some of the most popular are as follows.

Shows during dinner

• Belly dancing: An ancient art form from the Middle East and North Africa performed by beautiful dancers using their hips and stomachs. Not available during Ramadan.
• Tanoura dance: A traditional dance of Egyptian origin performed by dancers called "dervishes" who spin around in a kind of ritual dance that requires great stamina and balance. It has Sufi origins, in other words, from the mystical branch of Islam.
• Fire Show: This performance will add a little adrenaline to your dinner. You will see the skill of the performers as they handle the fire and create an amazing show with it.

Workshops and activities during dinner

• Falconry show: You can watch the falcons fly and even hold one of these beautiful birds in your hand to take a souvenir photo with it.
• Henna workshop: During the excursion, you can participate in a henna workshop (non-permanent natural vegetable dye) to decorate your hands in oriental style with beautiful artistic designs.
• Camel ride: This is one of the most popular activities to do during the Dubai desert excursion. That's why I recommend taking the camel ride after dinner, when there are fewer people.
• Photo with traditional Arab costumes: This will be one of the most fun memories of the excursion. You can take photos wearing a traditional Arab costume and feel like a real Bedouin for a night.

Starting at €36 on Hellotickets, you can get a ticket to join a desert excursion to enjoy a magical evening under the stars, dining like a sultan and enjoying some typical Middle Eastern shows.

The only way to enjoy this experience is to book the activity with an operator, as it is not possible to do this excursion on your own. Driving at high speed over the sand dunes is very dangerous for a non-professional driver.

If you would like to know more about the cost of these activities before booking your tickets, I recommend reading the post How much does it cost to visit the Dubai desert: excursion prices.

Normally, excursions to the Dubai desert take place around 3 PM to take advantage of the afternoon in the desert and do adventure activities, watch the sunset, and then have dinner outdoors at the Bedouin camp.

However, there is also the option of choosing a morning excursion if it fits better with your plans in the city. These types of activities usually start between 7 and 10 a.m., depending on the schedule you choose.

Whichever type of Dubai desert excursion you choose (morning or afternoon), the activity usually lasts around 6 hours and at the end you will return to the city via a quiet and peaceful route to rest after an intense day in the Dubai Safari Conservation Reserve.

So, which day of the week should you choose?

Friday is the day of rest in Islamic culture, so many businesses in the city close on that day to rest. It is therefore a good time to leave Dubai for the desert and enjoy an exciting outdoor adventure.

These excursions are very well organized so that you don't encounter large crowds and can enjoy a very pleasant experience.

Dubai has a subtropical desert climate, so whatever time of year you choose to visit the city, it will always be hot. However, depending on the season, the heat can be mild or scorching.

When planning your trip to Dubai, and specifically this desert excursion, I recommend avoiding the summer (when temperatures soar and become unbearable) and opting for fall or winter, when the heat is more bearable and the stay is more pleasant.

If you want to know more about the climate, you'll find more details in the post Best time to travel to Dubai.

To get the most out of this experience in the Dubai desert, I recommend taking a look at these tips that may be helpful.

• Book in advance: Once you have decided when you are going to travel to Dubai, try to book this excursion as soon as possible as it is very popular and you run the risk of missing out on a place on your desired date.
• Wear comfortable, cool clothing: While the sun is shining in the desert, it tends to be quite hot. Therefore, it is advisable to protect yourself with cool, comfortable clothing. At night, the temperature drops, so don't forget to bring something warm to wear.
• Bring your camera and phone fully charged: Before you leave, remember to charge these devices so you can take lots of photos during the excursion. There is no cell service in the desert, but if your camera battery runs out, your phone will serve as a backup for taking videos and photos.
• Hydrate frequently: It is very hot in the desert. Remember to bring your own bottle of water in your backpack and drink frequently to avoid dehydration. Also bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat to protect yourself from the sun.

In the post Tips for visiting the Dubai desert, you can find more useful recommendations for organizing your trip to the Dubai Safari Conservation Reserve.